A comparison between two major Sociocracy books

Sociocracy

The organization of decision-making

Sociocracy

As social design

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: THE BASIC RULES OF SOCIOCRATIC CIRCLE ORGANIZATION

– Sociocracy is relevant to every organization, regardless of its object

– The decision-making process is by the principle of consent

– The double link as the safeguard for the circle process

– The four basic rules

– Applying the four basic rules

– Sociocracy’s simplicity can be deceptive

PART 2: THE PRINCIPLE

– Life is an interplay of dynamic balances

– Weaving must be possible

– The circle process makes it possible to search

– Mistakes must be made

– Do more with “more or less”

– Central heating as an example

– The principle of no objection

– Addition of the circle organization

– The principle of consent rules

– The threshold is not under discussion

– Man seeks to modify circumstances

– The interlinking of circles

– The short distance between top end bottom

– Public gossip

– Sociocracy uncovers

PART 3: ECONOMIC ASPECTS

Chapter 1 – Economic motive

– Tolerance

– A circle can only function if it is closed

– The circle process seeks the optimum

– Weaving about the norm makes searching possible

– The example of the plant

– The concept of economics

Chapter 2 – Profit

– The conversion process

– The exchange process

– Who or what determines value

Chapter 3 – The Subsistence Guarantee

– “If you don’t work, you don’t eat?”

– Man is linked to the machine

– Machine work is for machines

– All activities have equal value

– Social provisions become redundant

– The Subsistence Guarantee also
provides a threshold

PART 4: SOCIOCRACY IN PRACTICE

Chapter 1 – The individual

Chapter 2 – The family

Chapter 3 – The educational system

3.1 Possibilities for education and development

– Intellectual development is not enough

– School as a means to an end

– Sharp distinctions must be blurred

– Year-grouping and traditional teaching are unworkable

– A variable individual study programme

– School organization

– General aspects of working methods within the circles

– Non-time-dependent longitudinal curriculum planning

– Testing

– Curriculum planning or planning of the educational programme

– The group structure

– The financial aspect

– Aspects of the functions and tasks of the individual circles

– Large integrated school complexes

3.2. The organizational structure of a primary school

– The hierarchical structure of the management organization

– The circle organization

– The functional organization

3.3. The organizational structure of an integrated school complex

– The hierarchical structure of the management organization

– The circle organization

– The functional organization

– Questions we have to answer

A. Are there any open circles?

B. Is measurement being carried out?

C. Who can join?

3.4. The organization of co-operation between the primary schools and
the education department of a large municipal authority

– The hierarchical structure of the management organization

– The circle organization

– The functional organization

Chapter 4 – Work

4.1 Introduction

– The company as a means to an end

– Remuneration

– Corporate capital

– Corporate organization

– Aspects of the function and tasks of the separate circles

– General aspects of the working method within the circles

– The position of the shareholder

4.2. Legal structure

– The association

– The co-operative

– The foundation

– The election procedure

– The company

– Finite but unlimited

– External expert members

Chapter 5 – Government

5.1. Introduction

– The neighbourhood circle

– The district circle

– The top circle

– The hierarchical structure of the management organization

5.2. The management and circle organization at each administrative
level

– The neighbourhood

– The district

– The municipality

– The region

– The country

– Foreign relations

– Overall government circle organization

5.3. The topographical aspect

5.4. The integrated organization of society

PART 5: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1 Intention and system

Q2 The obstructionist

Q3 Everything is open to discussion

Q4 The speed of decision-making

Q5 Is everything really open to discussion?

Q6 How many circles in an organization?

Q7 Sociocracy’s weak points

Q8 Composition of the circle

09 Sociocracy’s problem-solving potential in a crisis situation

Q10 What is meaningful activity?

Q11 Is Short-term Incentive and Long-term Incentive a piecework system?

Q12 The multinational corporation in a sociocratic society

Q13 Sociocracy and unemployment

Q14 The threshold as certainty

Q15 Can a sociocratic company be sold?

Q16 How do we introduce sociocracy?

PART 6: CONCLUDING REMARKS

Prevolution

ANNEXES

Annex 1 – Education

Annex 2 – Education

Annex 3 – Education

Annex 4 – Foundation

Annex 5 – Company

Annex 6 – Company

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Note 1 The concept of happiness

Note 2 Phases in our organization behavior

Note 3 The basis of the next phase

Note 3 Good and bad

Note 4 Features of democracy

Note 5 Sociocracy does not require solidarity

Note 6 Large and small

Note 7 Definitions of sociocracy

Note 8 Control processes

Note 8 Both evolution and revolution

Note 9 Both harmony and conflict

Note 10 The hierarchy in the management organization

Note 11 What do we know about control?

Note 12 Weaving must be possible

Note 13 Feedback and measurement

Note 14 The self-optimizing circle process

Note 15 Serious disturbance of the equilibrium

Note 16 Control to minimum deviation from the norm

Note 17 Decision-making with a modified norm

Note 18 The species is the norm

Note 19 The concept of humaneness

Note 20 The conversion and exchange process

Note 21 Significance of the transport and communications problem

Note 21 Control data

Note 21 Control data and control instruction

Note 22 The satisfaction of needs

Note 23 The value of the medium of exchange

Note 24 Sociocracy as certainty

Note 25 Breaking the link between human and machine work

Note 26 Productive and leisure activities

Note 27 The individual as circle organization

Note 28 Marriage and family

Note 29 Training in the performing arts

Note 30 How do we measure?

Note 30 Freedom to choose makes it possible to search

Note 31 Profit as a yardstick

Note 32 Primeval rules, “buurtschap”

Note 33 Is the production co-operative neo-capitalist?

Note 34 Should voting be secret?

Note 35 Hierarchy in the decision-making process

Note 36 The disappearing trick as an instrument of power

Note 37 Freedom and uncertainty

Note 38 Interlinked circle organizations

Note 39 Control in extra dimensions

Note 39 Rigid limits

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

I CHARACTERISTICS OF THE METHOD

* OUTLINE OF MAIN POINTS

* RATIONALE OF A NEW SOCIAL DESIGN FOR SOCIETY

– Both I and the others

– Lack of knowledge about control of power

   Delegation of power to the ‘argument’

– Guiding of power following principles of cybernetics

– A place for chaos

– A self-controlling process

* WHAT’S WRONG WITH DEMOCRACY?

– Self-mastery or the mastery of others: that is the question

– Democracy as linear hierarchy

– Majority: the enlightened form of superiority

   Reflexivity: a self-formative mode of understanding

   Polarization and ossification: the path to self-degeneration

  How a ruling majority stays in power

   How sociocracy ensures self-government

– Democracy as open idea: in discussion with Held

   Autonomy as political principle: Held

   From open idea to connectability

* CHARACTERISTICS OF THE METHOD

– Cosmos out of chaos

– Basic rules

– Principle of consent

– The circle

– Double link

– In a sociocratized society

II THE DESIGN

* THE BASIC RULES

– The decision making process is governed by the principle of consent

– The double link as the safeguard for the circle process

– The four basic rules

– Applying the four basic rules

– Sociocracy’s simplicity can be deceptive

* THE PRINCIPLE

– ‘Weaving’ must be possible

– The circle process makes it possible to search

– Mistakes must be made

– Do more with ‘more or less’

– Central heating as an example

– The principle of no objection

– Addition of the circle organization

– The principle of consent rules

– The threshold is not under discussion

– Man seeks to modify circumstances

– The interlinking of circles

– The short distance between top and bottom

– Public gossip

– Sociocracy uncovers

* ECONOMIC ASPECTS

– Tolerance

– A circle can only function if it is closed

– The circle process seeks the optimum

– Weaving about the norm makes searching possible

* THE CONCEPT OF ECONOMICS

– The production process

  The conversion process

   The exchange process

– Determining value as process

  The Existence Possibility Guarantee

  Man is linked to the machine

  Machine work is for machines

  All activities have equal value

  Social provisions become redundant

  The Existence Possibility Guarantee also guarantees a threshold

* THE COMPANY AS A MEANS TO AN END

– No-one is the owner

– Remuneration

– Corporate capital

– Corporate organization in circles

– Aspects of the function and tasks of the separate circles

– General aspects of the working method within the circles

– The position of the shareholder

* LEGAL STRUCTURE

– Primeval rules, ‘buurtschap’

– The association

– The co-operative association

– The foundation

– The company

– External expert members

– Unemployment and control

III THE DESIGN IN OPERATION

* EPISODIC ACCOUNT

– Description 1970- 1985

  The occasion

  First experiences

  A new system of remuneration

  Early results

  Social directorate

  Double Link. Social challenge

  Juridical no man’s land

  Crisis situation

  Implementation too abrupt

  Renewed implementation

  New developments: synergy and
integral education

– Account of the ‘implementation of sociocracy’ over the period April 1979 – December 1983

  General summary of activities.
Advance of the project through the course of sociocratic changes in the company

 Objective, organization of work, circle organization

 Function and task descriptions

  Towards an integral personnel assessment procedure

 Personnel policy

  Motivating factors

  Circle statute and circle regulations

  Personal and administrative logbook

  Education

  Social accountant

  Legal structure

– Results and themes: in retrospect and in prospect

 Other ways of exercising power

  Integral method. Integral training

  The problem of integral direction against the background of today technical culture

 Looking ahead

– Critical aspects and crucial moments

  Points to note

  The social accountant’s report

  Nobody’s property

  Statutes

  Exemption from the governmental law to have a workscouncil

* THE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE AS SOCIETY

* THE NEED FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

– Network qualities

– Leading

– Man and the natural environment

– Transport

– Mathematical approach

– Order and security

– Social accountancy

– Man and computer

– Education

– The family

CONCLUSION

THEOREMS

NOTES

REFERENCES

APPENDICES